Republican Congressman Thomas Massie on Monday introduced articles of impeachment against US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth in the House of Representatives, seeking to initiate proceedings to remove him from office.
Hegseth said he was not concerned about the effort to remove him, which is linked to his leadership of the Pentagon and his role in managing the war with Iran.
Asked by reporters about the level of support he might have among congressional Republicans, Hegseth dismissed the concerns and announced that he would hold a press conference at the Pentagon on Tuesday morning.
“I hope you come prepared with plenty of questions,” he said. Hegseth has not held a similar press conference since May.
Massie’s initiative comes amid growing calls for Hegseth’s removal, as several Republicans have blamed the war with Iran for the party’s significant losses in the 2026 midterm elections.
Massie had attempted to advance the impeachment effort in mid-September, but House Speaker Mike Johnson cancelled the final scheduled day of congressional business before the elections, preventing a vote from taking place.
Following the reintroduction of the resolution, the House of Representatives must consider it within two legislative days, forcing Republicans to publicly state their position on Hegseth.
Massie, who has served seven terms in Congress and is known for his constitutionalist positions, lost the Republican primary during the summer after President Donald Trump endorsed his opponent.
It remains unclear whether the initiative will secure enough votes in the House, where Republicans still hold the majority. However, Massie told ABC News that he was confident enough Republicans would support the effort.
A simple majority is required for the resolution to pass, meaning that three Republicans would need to join all Democrats in supporting it. House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries has already expressed his backing, declaring that he fully supports the initiative.
Republican leaders, however, could attempt to prevent a direct vote on the resolution by introducing a motion to block its consideration.
House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer has not endorsed the initiative. Meanwhile, Republican Congressman Don Bacon said he would examine the debate before making a decision, although he acknowledged that Hegseth had made several serious mistakes.
Even if the resolution passes the House, it would still require the support of two-thirds of the Senate, where Republicans hold a majority. Reaching that threshold is considered highly unlikely.
President Trump has said he intends to keep Hegseth at the helm of the Pentagon.
In a video released on Thursday, the Defense Secretary vowed not to step down, defending the continuation of the war with Iran and his agenda at the Pentagon.
“This is not about me at all, but the other side is obsessed with me. One disgruntled, defeated congressman, along with his Democratic allies, has filed fake articles of impeachment, just as they tried twice against President Trump,” Hegseth said.
